So, I was going to make this a nice long detailed review, but I can't find time or the will to bring myself to do it. There are plenty of other excellent review out there of this device done by authors who are much more versed and well-written in mobile phone reviewing than I am. I apologize in advance if this isn't what you're looking for, but these are my few thoughts on the device.

I do NOT like this device. Plain and simple. That doesn't mean other people won't love it, but that's my take on this device, sadly.

Why you may ask? I wish I could tell you exactly. I trialed the N8 not too long before the E7 and I LOVED that device, everything except for the lack of hardware keyboard, so I figured I should be able to get on nearly as well with the E7. Oh how sadly mistaken was I. Here are a few things I didn't like about the device, though they may not be specific to the actual device itself, just the experience:

• There is no Pixelpipe app for Symbian anymore, in fact there isn't an "app" for any device anymore. That has always been an integral part of any of my mobile usage, the ability to quickly and easily upload photos to multiple social media outlets.
• The SIM card slot is nearly impossible to open. I had to carefully use on of my mini screwdrivers in order to get it open to drop in my SIM to use the device.
• Alternatively, the "flip" to expose the keyboard is a bit odd to figure out initially, and maybe it was only the device I trialed, but the actual flip itself seemed a bit loose/flimsy when it was opened. Not quite as bad as the G2 was, but still, not as taut as I'd have liked to see.
• EDoF....'nuff said. Compounding on that though, coming from the N8 and my normal N900, the lack of "half-press" on the camera button to focus a picture seems unintuitive to the normal operation of a camera. I was not really very pleased with the quality of the pictures, especially for being an 8MP camera. Comparable pictures from my N900 are of much better quality.

The positives? Not many, but here they are:

• It is a hefty device, and that's not a problem to me. I like my devices to have a bit of weight to them, makes them a bit easier to keep track of and more firm to hold on to.
• The screen is spectacular. It was crisp and clear, and the glass was practically invulnerable to anything. Kudos to Nokia here!
• I loved the keyboard on the device too, it was well spaced and the keys had very good feedback like I'd expect. Much easier to use than the keyboard on my N900.

I wish I could say more. I really wish I knew exactly what it was about the device that I didn't like, but I can't. I've tried long and hard for the last few months to try and pin down exactly what it was about the device that I didn't like, but I couldn't. I'm not sure if it was how kludgy some operations felt with the device, or how the flip bothered me, or how the device just didn't seem to do well with orientation changes and the keyboard.

Sorry everyone, but this device was a miss with me. Between this and the N8, even without a hardware keyboard, I'd have to say the N8 is a much more stellar device.

TTFN.

-Michael

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